Prisons are often far more than places with bars. They may follow us around in our daily life. He saves those He has chosen according to His own mercy. He redeems, regenerates and renews His children by His Holy Spirit. Faith comes from hearing and hearing through the Word of Christ. We are confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in us will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. May we walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. May our speech always be with grace and seasoned with salt.

Challenged and Comforted!

May we not be moved, may we be firmly established on the truth of God’s Word, may we worship from a pure heart, and may our faith overcome all that the enemy brings against us.

The gym at the prison was full on Sunday of women who came thirsty and hungry for truth. Some had spent their whole lives searching for something or someone to fill their void, comfort their sorrows, remove their pain, and restore their brokeness.

On Sunday morning they were confronted face to face with the harsh reality that “THEY CAN’T CHANGE THEIR OWN LIFE!” and the fact they had messed up. We all have!

This was NOT where the message ended, however. They were challenged to confront their devastation and turn from it, stop playing with it, stop being tempted by it, stop hiding in the dark with it, and to run into the arms of a loving and all powerful GOD who wants to have them STOP being chastened and wants them to be surrounded in HIS LOVE and GRACE.

For some it was very painful to look at their sin in the face but when they came to know they were being chastened by a loving God it brought about a peace. When they came to know He is the GOD who will remove their pain and heal them they begin to trust Him. To know their life is being restored is where they come to know and truly understand the GOD of all comfort and the mighty act of HIS GRACE. It isn’t about “them” anymore but about HIM. Then they are free to run into HIS arms, sing, worship, praise, dance, and laugh. Their strength in the battles will not be their own anymore but in HIS.

Then came the message of facing another real pain in their life. They were confronted head on with how they may have suffered great pain and disappointment from the men in their lives. Looking back at the book of Genesis where Adam failed to stand up for the truth and protect the woman that God had created for him was eye opening. They were confronted with the challenge to forgive the men who fell short in their lives. Forgive? Yes, forgive them. They were also challenged to not just forgive these men but to pray for these men who were still were falling short and to know PRAYER does change men. It may take months, or even years, but prayer changes people because God can when we can’t.

I keep thinking of what was shared that morning in the prison gym and how these women were boldly challenged to turn from their sin, darkness, devastation and to run into His arms. How they were challenged to forgive the men who may have abused them, neglected them, failed them, and to pray for these men and to not stop praying for them. They were challenged to take off their anger and put on the LOVE OF CHRIST and rest in HIS COVERING. The message was real, honest, and compassionate with the women. These women truly got to see the fruit of God’s work as they witnessed a husband and wife team come in to minister to them. A husband and wife whose lives were a mess, they were not perfect, and to hear how God restored them through full surrender, covered them with HIS blood, and heard and answered their prayers. The ladies of the prison were given hope and a true comfort to cling to, to run to, and one to wrap themselves in. Yes, they were challenged and comforted.

How about you? Is there someone you need to forgive and pray for? Is there something you are still clinging to, hiding in, and not willing to surrender? Today, let’s all be challenged to forgive one another, pray for each other, and surrender all our burdens, all to JESUS our blessed Savior, knowing He cares for us and HE can.

Wow! This is for us ALL, no matter where we are in our walk with God. We need to self-evaluate and continually give Jesus our hurts, worries, expectations, cares, concerns, etc. Thank you for being so REAL for Christ! Truth is truly freeing, when we put it on and ACT on it. :>D